and tonight, these workers from alabama pitching in near hard hit atlantic city. >> they understand the value that comes from being able to serve others. >> reporter: at its peak, more than 8 million customers had no electricity. it's half that number now. and a million more get their power back each day. better than after hurricane irene. on long island, we found this crew working 16-hour days, their own homes without electricity, repairing a downed line for powerless residents. >> i saw the truck down the street. i said, i hope you're coming my way. >> reporter: the crew was. and moments later, lights came on for the first time since monday. >> hey! >> we just got our lights back. thank you, lord. >> reporter: these workers here, they are replacing a telephone pole, utility poles that we blown over by the storm. it is slow work. takes about two hours to remove and replace each one of them, it gives you some idea why it could be a week or longer before everyone gets power back and, diane, in the meantime, it is forecast, there could be a winter storm approaching the northeast sometime